Remembrance
by Mysty Star
Summary: Kanan's heart stopped. He'd recognize that armor anywhere. A clone trooper.
1. Kanan

**So, another Rebels story. The idea for this one came after seeing Ahsoka in Fire Across the Galaxy. Seeing her leading rebels, I thought of Captain Rex, and wondered what he was up to, as I heard he didn't carry out Order 66. So I had the thought that Rex found Ahsoka and they've been working together, with Rex as Ahsoka's second in command.**

Kanan entered Ahsoka's ship, the _Remembrance_, somewhat excited (though he wouldn't admit it). The Torgruta had invited him aboard for training and catching up. He and Ahsoka wanted to teach Ezra some of the old Jedi Order techniques. Ezra had promised to come over as soon as he was done helping Sabine with something, so at the moment, it was just going to be the two former padawans.

Ahsoka climbed down out of her cockpit, her dual lightsabers clinking gently against her belt.

"There you are." She said, voice light. She stood on the deck, her lekku swaying softly, her montrals reaching above Kanan's head. Both smiled at the other, friendly, and happy someone from what used to be their world was around. The moment did not last though.

An armored figure came around the corner. "Commander, I-"

Kanan's heart stopped.

He'd recognize that armor _anywhere_.

**A clone trooper.**

"Ahsoka, look out!" Ahsoka's eyes widened as Kanan's blaster came up, firing three shots in quick succession.

"Kanan, no!" His arm was jerked to the side, making the shots go wide.

"Ahsoka, that's-"

"I know very well who it is, Kanan Jarrus, now STAND DOWN." Ahsoka's voice was hard as steel, her eyes narrow, icy chips. Her arms were splayed out, preventing a clear shot to the trooper behind her.

Kanan hesitated, heart pounding in his ears, going as fast as a podracer's engines. In his mind, he could see troopers turning on him and his master. _/Run!/_ her voice shouted.

"Stand. Down. Jarrus."

The blaster slowly, hesitantly, lowered, but was not holstered. Ahsoka lowered her arms, turning her head slightly to address the trooper behind her.

"Rex, you okay?"

"Fine, Commander."

"Good. I _told_ you not to wear your old armor, Rex."

"You told me not wear it when we had company, sir. I didn't know we had a guest."

"Well, now you do." Ahsoka turned back to Kanan, who had been watching the exchange, in silent, wary, disbelief. "Kanan, Rex here isn't like the other troopers. He never carried out Order 66."

"He….he didn't?"

"No. In fact, he helped me escape some other troopers. He's a good man, and he's been with me since the Order fell. He's my second in command."

A clone trooper, her second in command? One of the soldiers who had turned on the Jedi, shooting them in the back? One of those who became the first ever storm troopers, a trusted comrade? Kanan's head was spinning. _/Run!/_ he heard again, his master's voice clear in his head.

But, he trusted Ahsoka. And that meant he would have to trust her judgement.

After a long moment, Kanan holstered his blaster. Ahsoka relaxed, as did the trooper, Rex.

The soldier took a few steps toward Kanan, an old phase 1 helmet, decorated with faded blue paint, in the crook of his left elbow. He offered his hand, which Kanan hesitantly took.

"Rex, former captain of the 501st."

"Kanan Jarrus."

"Now that that's out of the way," Ahsoka said, forcing her tone to be light, "Kanan, shall we?"

Kanan nodded, and followed Ahsoka to her training room, repeatedly glancing backwards, at the clone. At a man whose brothers were responsible for the deaths of so many Jedi, including Master Billaba. A face that had haunted his nightmare when he was younger, on the run, following the Clone Wars. A face that had become the embodiment of betrayal and evil for him and many others. A face that was forever burned into his memory.

**And done! I'll have another chapter later, with Ezra meeting Rexy. I hope you enjoyed, please review!**

**Oh and did you guys see the trailer for season 2? I can't wait! Rex is back!**

**P.S. anyone reading Their bond, or Report, know that those will be updated soon. Ciao!**


	2. Ezra

**I'm back! My thanks to all who followed/favorited/reviewed! And now chapter two, with Ezra and Rex meeting!**

**Enjoy!**

Ezra excitedly bounced across to Ahsoka's ship. Kanan had gone over earlier, telling Ezra to come once he was done helping Sabine.

He entered the ship and looked around. The _Remembrance_ was a different, older ship than the _Ghost_, so Ezra wasn't entirely sure of his way around. Wandering around a bit, he found the mess and walked in.

Someone was already inside, a figure in whiteish armor. Ezra almost had a heart attack, his hand darting to where his lightsaber was clipped to his belt, before realizing the armor wasn't storm trooper armor. It was different, more fitted, older, and decorated with faded, blue paint.

Figuring that the man wasn't an Imperial, that he must be a rebel (he _was_ on Ahsoka's ship), Ezra relaxed. The man turned around and caught sight of him.

"Hey, kid. You must be…Ezra?"

Ezra's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"The commander mentioned you, and your master said you'd be coming over."

"Oh."

"Hey, you're the one who sent that radio message, right?"

"Uh, yeah." The man smiled a bit.

"Good job, kid. A lot of people heard you."

Ezra blushed, ducked his head slightly, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks, uh…"

"Rex."

Ezra nodded. He glanced at the armor again, noting the obvious age of the cracked plastoid.

"Were you in the Clone Wars?" He blurted out, curiosity getting the better of him. Being born right at the end of the Clone Wars, Ezra had heard a lot about the wars from his parents. At Rex's surprised look, Ezra quickly tried to backtrack.

"Uh, I-I mean-" His stammering stopped at Rex's rough bark of laughter. Still chuckling, he answered the flustered teen.

"Yes, I was in the Clone Wars. I was on the front lines, kid."

Before Ezra could say anything to that, the door on the far side of the mess opened, revealing Kanan. Ezra was surprised at the spike of emotions from his master, easily felt through their bond. There was some fear, some anger, wariness and betrayal. And they were all aimed at -Rex?

"Ezra. Glad you could make it." The joking tone told him his master was just teasing him, not angry. "C'mon, Ahsoka's back here." Ezra followed him out, pausing only long enough to call out: "Nice to meet you Rex!"

"You too kid."

* * *

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You. When you walked in and saw Rex." Kanan sighed, but before he could answer, they reached the training room where Ahsoka was.

"I'll tell you later."

**Yeah, it's kinda short. Sorry. The next one will be longer. I hope you enjoyed! Please review! (or not you know, whatever) Next chapter up soon!**


	3. Flashback-the Clone Wars

**I'm back! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! Kinda still short, but eh. Next chapter up soon, more Rex and Kanan interaction! Hope you enjoy!**

"What do you know about the Clones Wars?" Ezra and Kanan were sitting in the mess on the _Remembrance_. They had finished a training session with Ahsoka, and were waiting for the Torgruta while she put the training room back in order.

Ezra frowned. "I know it was between the Old Republic and the Separatists. It was a long, devastating war, that ended with the Jedi Purge, and that afterwards, the Empire took over."

Kanan nodded. "Do you know who made up the main army of the Republic, behind the Jedi?" Ezra shook his head.

"Clone troopers." Kanan said, looking into his cup of kaf. "The majority of the Republic army were clone troopers." He took a deep breath. "One day, at the end of the war, the clones…turned on the Jedi. After years of working with them, just turned around and shot them in the back, literally. They killed almost every Jedi in existence. One battalion, led by Darth Vader, marched on the Jedi Temple, slaughtering _everyone_ there. Knights, padawans, _younglings_. The Jedi were declared enemies of the Empire. They're extinct because of that, because of clone troopers."

"But what…Rex is a clone, isn't he."

"Yes."

And it made sense now. Why there had been so much anger, so much fear, and wariness, and _betrayal_ surrounding Kanan when he'd seen Rex.

"But, if Rex is a clone trooper, then why-!"

"Why is he here?" Ezra nodded. "Ahsoka trusts him," Kanan explained, still not quite believing it himself. "According to her, he never carried out Order 66 never turned against the Jedi."

Ezra studied his master, trying to read his thoughts.

"You don't believe that, do you?"

Kanan sighed. "I used to believe I could always count on the troopers that were with us." He smiled bitterly. "I thought they would always protect us, have our backs, and us them." The smile dropped. "Then I watched as they turned on us. No warning, just turned and pulled the trigger." A slight shudder passed through him. "I was just a year younger than you. Master Billaba, my master…she told me to run." His voice was choked with grief. "Run, while she held off and entire squadron by herself."

The mess was silent, Kanan's story hanging in the air.

"I'm sorry." Ezra said. He'd thought he had it bad. Kanan glanced at him, smiling softly.

"But now you know why I don't-why I _can't_ trust Rex. I..**can't**."

"I get it." Ezra said. At Kanan's look, he smiled humorlessly. "Grew up on the streets, remember? You can't trust anyone when you're on the streets, you'll get killed if you do."

"But," he continued. "Ahsoka trusts him. You obviously trust her. You have to trust her judgement, like we trust yours."

"I guess you're right." Kanan admitted after a moment.

"When did you get so wise?" He teased, ruffling his padawan's hair.

"Hey, I can be wise!" Kanan chuckled.

"I know."

Kid had a point, Kanan reflected. Much like how the crew trusted his judgement, he would have to trust Ahsoka's judgement. It wouldn't be easy. After so many years of the clones being his enemy, trusting one? It wouldn't be easy.

But he'd try.


	4. Revelations

**This chapter is Rex and Kanan. Mentions Fives and his season six arc. If you have any questions about this chapter, feel free to ask! Put them in a review or pm me, and I'll get back to you ASAP!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

Rex made his way down the halls of the _Remembrance_. The kid, Ezra, and his master were leaving, but Rex wanted to talk to the Jedi first. He _needed_ to tell the Jedi, Kanan, about Order 66, about the biochips. He _wanted_ to apologizefor the troopers that had been with him all those years ago. Even if Ahsoka hadn't told him a little about the Jedi, it was obvious from his reaction that he (and probably his master) had been with some troopers when Order 66 was executed. Obvious from the look in Jarrus' eyes when he'd seen Rex. Rex knew that look.

He had seen it in Ahsoka's eyes when he'd found her.

He had seen it in Fives' eyes when Fox and the Coruscant guards had shown up in the underbelly of the city planet.

_GET AWAY FROM ME!_

The panicked look of someone who had been betrayed and put through hell.

Looking at Jarrus when the Jedi had tried to shoot him, Rex hadn't seen a Jedi. He'd seen a scared kid, surfacing in those eyes, shooting at one who was his enemy, who had killed his master and hunted him.

That look had stayed in Jarrus' eyes even as Ahsoka tried to calm him down. Jarrus had no doubt been reliving the moment his galaxy had been ripped apart. The moment his Jedi Order fell, the moment his master had been killed.

Rex could tell that much even without Ahsoka confirming it.

So he needed to find Jarrus, and explain, and apologize before they left.

* * *

Kanan and Ezra were headed back to the _Ghost_. Ahsoka had mentioned meeting up with some of the other cells, but had promised she'd be back. They'd almost reached their ship when-

"Jarrus, sir." At that voice, the voice of Grey and Styles and all their brethren, Kanan ground to a halt. He barely managed to squash his instinct to grab his saber as he turned around, to see Rex standing behind them.

"A quick word before we part ways?"

"Of course." Pushing down the reflexive panic, he nudged Ezra on, and turned back to face Rex. His hand was next to his lightsaber, ready to grab it in an instant if he needed to, even as he told himself (though not very convincingly) he didn't need to.

Rex sighed, and ran a hand over his head.

"I'd like to apologize, sir." _That_ threw Kanan for a loop.

"Apologize? For what?"

"For…my brothers. For the troopers with you and at the Temple. For all the clones."

Kanan stared at Rex for a long moment in disbelief.

"Thank you." He finally said, not really sure _what_ to say. What _did_ you say to someone who was apologizing for something their brothers had done that had ripped apart the galaxy?

Then, he grimaced. "I'm sorry too, about earlier."

Rex shook his head. "That was understandable, sir." And it was. In fact, the first time he'd run into Ahsoka for the first time after Order 66, she'd nearly taken his head off. And Ahsoka knew him. This Jedi didn't, hadn't at the time. All the Jedi had known was that a clone trooper, someone who had killed almost everyone he had cared about, was there. Rex didn't blame Kanan for shooting at him.

"Still." Kanan said. "I'm sorry."

They were quiet for a moment. Kanan broke the silence, asking a question that had been bugging him.

"Why were you the only one who…"

"Who didn't betray the Jedi?" At Kanan's nod, Rex smiled bitterly.

"We, that is, one of my men, Fives…found out something about how clones were made." To make a long, _very_ painful story short. "He found out that when we are…formed, the Kaminoans," his lip curled. "Put biochips in our brains. Make us more compliant and less violent, they said. Order 66 was in those chips. Say the order, and it's like flipping a switch, we obey automatically."

"You didn't have a choice." Kanan realized slowly. Rex nodded.

"Fives found out, and tried to warn us. But," his hand clenched into a fist. "We didn't…we didn't believe him."

_YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME! _

_Fives, we are listening to you. We only want to help._

"So how come you didn't follow the order?"

Rex turned his head to the side, and tapped a small, white scar on the side of his head. "Fives was one of my most trusted brothers. I believed him, believed what he told me. I had Kix, one of our medics, check it out. He managed to remove my chip. It almost killed me." (So had Kix, once he had finally woken up afterwards.) He looked up at the Jedi. "Luckily, no one found out." _Or I would have been killed too,_ he thought. "We tried to do the same for some of our brothers." And they had tried, they had tried hard. "But we couldn't. And when Order 66 was given," both of his hands were fists now. "I saw my brothers turn on the Jedi we'd been serving for _years_. They became no better than droids. Flesh-droids, following their programming and nothing more."

The pure pain drowning Rex radiated through the Force, reverberating through Kanan. His head reeled. He'd never imagined that the clone troopers hadn't had a choice when turning on the Jedi, turning on the Republic. Kanan suddenly realized he'd severely, _severely_ misjudged this trooper. Kanan was one of the last Jedi, but Rex was _the__ last and __**only**__ free clone._

"I'm sorry, Rex." And he meant it.

The trooper gave him a pained smile.

"It's…alright sir." It wasn't, not really. But between them, between the singular soldier and Jedi, it was.

Before anything else could be said, Kanan's comm beeped, indicating Hera was wanting to talk to him. Kanan turned to go, but looked back at Rex.

"Thank you, Rex. For telling me."

"Thank you, Kanan, for listening." The trooper saluted, which Kanan returned. It was odd, being saluted again.

Then, Jedi and clone both turned and went their respective ways. Rex with a load off his chest, and Kanan with his heart rather lighter than it had been in years.


End file.
